The government will allocate Sh100 million in the supplementary budget to drill ten additional boreholes in Taita Taveta County.
The initiative aims to enhance access to water for domestic use, livestock, and irrigation, strengthening the county’s water security and supporting local livelihoods.
Principal Secretary (PS), the State Department of ASALs and Regional Development, Kello Harsama, made the announcement during the commissioning of two solar-powered boreholes in the Wololo and Machungani areas of Challa Ward, Taveta Sub-county, constructed by the Coast Development Authority (CDA).
Each borehole cost Sh20 million, bringing the total investment in Wololo and Machungwani to Sh40 million.
Harsama said the newly completed boreholes have produced exceptionally high volumes of safe water, offering long-term relief to communities that have endured water scarcity for many years.
He revealed that the Machungwani borehole produces 18,000 litres per hour, while Wololo produces 8,000 litres per hour, enough to support domestic consumption, livestock, and irrigation for over 50 acres of farmland.
“The borehole here can support more than 20,000 cattle and 10,000 goats, ensuring communities have reliable water throughout the year,” he said.
He added that the initiative follows President William Ruto’s directive to reclaim ASAL regions through dryland irrigation and enhanced food production.
Harsama added that Taveta has vast underground water potential, and the government is committed to fully exploiting it to benefit local residents.
The PS assured locals that the upcoming ten new boreholes, funded under the Sh100 million allocation, will further improve water availability for homes, livestock and irrigation across Taveta Constituency.
At the same time, CDA Managing Director, Dr. Mwanasiti Bendera, said the authority implemented the two borehole projects under drought mitigation programmes.
She stated that the boreholes will benefit more than 500 households that previously faced acute water shortages.
Dr Bendera noted that women used to trek up to seven kilometres in search of water, but the new project has significantly eased their burden.
She praised the partnership between CDA and the national government, saying it has enabled the agencies to meet the urgent needs of the community and prioritise Taveta, an ASAL region, for further water investments.
CDA Chairperson Mwinyi Mzee Mwinyi said the two solar-powered boreholes commissioned in Challa Ward were launched three months ago in Wololo and Machungwani.
He emphasised that the Wololo borehole pumps 8,000 litres per hour, while the Machungani one pumps 18,000 litres per hour, providing clean water for domestic use, livestock watering troughs, and smallholder irrigation farms.
Mwinyi added that the projects support food security goals in line with President Ruto’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), enabling farmers to irrigate crops even during prolonged droughts.
Residents lauded the boreholes, saying the projects have transformed their lives.
Many recalled trekking long distances in search of water and failing to harvest food during drought periods.
“Now we have water. We are watering our crops and getting food from our farms,” said Michael Mwambanga, a resident of Wololo.
CDA plans to establish water kiosks at the sites to enable residents to collect clean drinking water and to later extend piped water to households.
Area MP, John Bwire, extolled CDA for implementing impactful projects that directly address the chronic water shortages faced by communities in his constituency.
He noted that water scarcity has for years forced residents to rely on contaminated sources, increasing the risk of diseases such as bilharzia and sometimes compelling families to seek water from neighbouring counties.
The MP emphasised that although the Wololo and Machungwani boreholes will bring major relief, more water projects are still needed to fully resolve the water challenges faced by Taveta residents.
He urged CDA to continue taking the lead in drilling more boreholes and expanding water infrastructure to ensure long-term, sustainable solutions.
By Sadik Hassan
